Modern technology has created a demand for rapid analysis of data trends to enable an operator to arrive at rapid, accurate command decisions. An example of an environment requiring rapid data analysis of this type may be found in the high speed technology of consumer packaging wherein accurate and repeatable weights or volumes of consumer goods must be monitored without interrupting or slowing down the productivity of the packaging line.
A typical example of the need for high speed checking occurs in an automated packaging line for a food product. In such a line, each package must contain a precise amount of material to comply with truth in consumer product labeling laws, to avoid losses to the supplier resulting from over filling, and to avoid customer dissatisfaction resulting from under filling. In a typical automated packing facility subject to the preceding problems, a material to be packaged is metered into containers and the weight or volume of each filled container is checked. The metering devices for filling each container are accurate but subject to variations in the form of trends diverging from the target quantity to be metered. These trends result from a variety of sources such as equipment calibration changes due to wear, power source variations or any number of factors which affect the ability of the metering devices to accurately perform their functions. Additional sources of variations are in the products themselves, that is, changes in density, granular size or mix of a product may seriously alter the ability of the metering device to accurately fill the containers.
Variations in the ability of the metering device to fill containers is generally exhibited as a relatively slow trend which, if noted early enough, may be corrected without seriously interrupting the packaging line. If not noted, the gradual change or trend away from the target value will suddenly manifest itself as a serious interruption in the high speed package processing system due to all of the packages suddenly being outside allowable limits.
Another problem which occurs in checking high speed packaging systems resides in the fact that in many systems the packages travel through the assembly line so rapidly that, although accurate contents quantity checks are made, an operator cannot read the results of a weight or volume check. This is due to the very rapid presentation necessitated by the speed at which each package passes the check point. If the operator can read the check value, it is often difficult to recognize a deviation or activate a control to remove the faulty package from the line within the time available.